India-Bangladesh Joint Patrol ‘Corpat’ and Bilateral Exercise ‘Bangsagar’ Begin in Bay of Bengal

The 6th Joint Patrol ‘Coordinated Patrol’ (Corpat) and 4th Bilateral Exercise ‘Bangsagar’ are being held for the sixth time in the Bay of Bengal in the designated area of ​​the maritime boundary of Bangladesh and India with the participation of ships of the two countries’ navies.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said this in a statement on Monday.

The joint patrol and exercise, under the supervision of Commander Flotilla West, began on March 10, 2025 and will continue till March 12, 2025, the statement said.

Bangladesh Navy warship BNS Abu Ubaidah and a maritime patrol aircraft are participating in the joint patrol and exercise. On the other hand, Indian Navy warship INS Ranbir and a helicopter are participating in the patrol and exercise, the statement said.

“This joint patrol has been taking place between Bangladesh and India since 2018. The aim of this joint patrol and exercise is to eliminate various criminal activities including illegal fishing, smuggling, human trafficking, piracy and drug trafficking in the designated maritime areas of the two countries,” the statement said.

“Through this, the two countries will play an important role in exchanging information related to maritime crimes in their respective waters, proper management of information, identifying vessels conducting illegal activities at sea and preventing various crimes,” the statement added.

“This is expected to play a more effective role in regional maritime security, addressing maritime security risks and helping in the development of maritime economies,” the statement said.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the 4th edition of the bilateral exercise ‘Bangsagar-23’ between the Indian Navy and the Bangladesh Navy and the 5th edition of the ‘Coordinated Patrol’ (CORPAT) between the two navies was held in the North Bay of Bengal from 7 to 9 November 2023.

Ships and aircraft of the two navies conducted joint patrols along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and subsequently conducted maritime exercises to enhance mutual cooperation.

The ships participated in communication exercises, gun-shooting at sea, tactical maneuvers and other exercises, which concluded with a steam past. CORPAT-23 included the first-ever Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise between the two navies, where a search and rescue scenario was practiced at sea. Regular bilateral exercises and coordinated patrols have strengthened mutual understanding and cooperation between the two navies.